System and method for modular display

ABSTRACT

A modular display system and method assembles an external interface module with a display module to support built-to-order display configurations. The display module has display panel, timing controller and speaker components assembled in a display module housing that accepts a single LVDS and a single audio interface. The external interface module couples to the display module housing to form an integral display system. Selective assembly of the display system from plural types of external interface modules allows selective configuration of the display system with various television and information handling system display functionalities, such as to fill a purchaser order in a build-to-order manufacturing process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to the field of informationhandling system displays, and more particularly to a system and methodfor display of information by modular components.

2. Description of the Related Art

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individualsand businesses seek additional ways to process and store information.One option available to users is information handling systems. Aninformation handling system generally processes, compiles, stores,and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or otherpurposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of theinformation. Because technology and information handling needs andrequirements vary between different users or applications, informationhandling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled,how the information is handled, how much information is processed,stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the informationmay be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in informationhandling systems allow for information handling systems to be general orconfigured for a specific user or specific use such as financialtransaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage,or global communications. In addition, information handling systems mayinclude a variety of hardware and software components that may beconfigured to process, store, and communicate information and mayinclude one or more computer systems, data storage systems, andnetworking systems.

Information handling systems often interact with a number of peripheralsto communicate, print, display or otherwise process information. Forinstance, cathode ray tube (CRT) and, more recently, flat paneldisplays, such as liquid crystal display (LCD) and plasma displays,present information generated by information handling systems andcommunicated to the display through standardized cables, such as VGA orDVI cables. In the past, information handling systems typicallygenerated display information with greater resolution than was availablefrom conventional televisions. However, the advent of high definitiontelevision (HDTV) has brought about a convergence of informationhandling system display technology with television display technology.Flat panel LCD and plasma televisions are now commonly available thatpresent digitally-rendered information with much of the same technologyas is found in information handling system displays. However, flat paneltelevisions typically have highly-integrated architectures forprocessing and displaying information. As a result, flat paneltelevisions are built to then-current display performance, broadcast andconnectivity standards with little flexibility to adjust to developmentsin standards after release of the television. Further, users typicallyrespond to television failure by purchase of a new television withupdated system performance rather than an attempt to fix the failure. Bycontrast, information handling system displays tend to rely onprocessing by an information handling system to produce high qualitydisplays and are less prone to failure. Thus, despite the similaritiesbetween flat panel information handling system displays and flat paneltelevisions, information handling system displays typically do notintegrate television components.

The information handling system industry has made some efforts tointegrate television components with information handling systemdisplays to provide television functions through the displays. Oneexample of the display of television signals through an informationhandling system display is by converting the signals through a TV cardof an information handling system. However, converted signals tend tohave a lower quality due to interference introduced in the conversionprocess. Other available solutions attempt to add televisionfunctionality to information handling system displays with separateadd-on modules, or vice versa. For instance, Samsung offers a modulartelevision tuner that interfaces with a SyncMaster TFT LCD to allow thedisplay to meet different broadcast standards. Another example is thePioneer PDA5002 Video Option Card, which enables video input tocommercial plasma displays. AverMedia sells a separate box thatinterfaces with an LCD monitor to provide TV functionality as aplug-and-play multimedia entertainment center with or without aninformation handling system. Television manufacturers have attempted toadd information handling system interfaces to televisions, such asScientific Atlanta, which sells a set top box that interfaces atelevision or a display with a cable to present television signals. Eachof these solutions offers only piecemeal convergence of informationhandling system and television displays, and are often greeted by userconfusion in interfacing the separate components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore a need has arisen for a system and method which convergesinformation handling system and television displays with an integratedyet modular architecture.

In accordance with the present invention, a system and method areprovided which substantially reduce the disadvantages and problemsassociated with previous methods and systems for enabling informationhandling system displays to present television information. A displaysystem is assembled from a display module and a separate externalinterface module to allow selection by a purchaser of desired externalaudiovisual interfaces for the display system. Plural types of externalinterface modules each translate audiovisual information to a commonsingle audio signal and a common single visual signal so that assemblyof an external interface module having desired external interfaces willconfigure a display system to present information received with theexternal interfaces.

More specifically, display systems are built-to-order to support desiredtelevision external interfaces and/or information handling systemexternal interfaces. Plural types of external interface modules arebuilt with each type translating selected of plural external interfacesto a common format, such as LVDS. For instance, external interfaces areselected from the group consisting of analog and/or digital televisiontuners, composite video, S-video, component video, VGA, DVI and audiointerfaces. A purchaser selects desired external interfaces for adisplay system, which is manufactured by assembling the type of externalinterface module associated with the purchaser-selected interfaces to adisplay module to form a contiguous display system. Thus, the samedisplay module may be configured to perform television or informationhandling system functions based on the functions included in theexternal interface module. If the external interface module fails afterdelivery to the purchaser, a replacement external interface module issent as a replacement unit instead of replacing the entire displaysystem.

The present invention provides a number of important technicaladvantages. One example of an important technical advantage is that flatpanel displays are selectively configured for regional andtime-to-market flexibility to support multiple markets and producttiers. Selection of an appropriate external interface module allowsbuild-to-order user configurations for improved user experience andreduced manufacturing expense. Component failure or display failure aremanaged separately by replacement of the external interface module orflat panel display as appropriate for reduced expense associated withrepair of failed systems. Flat panel displays are designed andmanufactured with up-to-date display performance, broadcast standard andconnectivity configurations by spanning external interface modulesand/or flat panel displays across product tiers and generations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may be better understood, and its numerousobjects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in theart by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the samereference number throughout the several figures designates a like orsimilar element.

FIG. 1A depicts a display module and an external interface modulealigned for assembly;

FIG. 1B depicts the display module and the external interface moduleassembled as an integral unit; and

FIG. 2 depicts a functional block diagram of one embodiment of thedisplay module and the external interface module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Convergence of television and information handling system displays isprovided by the modular assembly of separate display components andexternal interface components into an integral display system thatselectively supports television or information handling system displayfunctions based on the included external interface components. Forpurposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may includeany instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable tocompute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate,switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, orutilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business,scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an informationhandling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, orany other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance,functionality, and price. The information handling system may includerandom access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as acentral processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic,ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components ofthe information handling system may include one or more disk drives, oneor more network ports for communicating with external devices as well asvarious input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, anda video display. The information handling system may also include one ormore buses operable to transmit communications between the varioushardware components.

Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a display system 10 is depicted havinga display module 12 separate from an external interface module 14 forassembly as an integral unit having desired television and/orinformation handling system display functions. Display module 12includes components for generating a visual display of information whileexternal interface module 14 includes components that accept visualinformation from external sources, such as an information handlingsystem or a television signal, and provide the visual information to thedisplay module for generation of a visual image. The types of externalinterfaces supported by display system 10 are configured by selection ofan external interface module 14 having external device interfaces 16 andassociated components to receive to the desired external signals.External interface module 14 translates the visual information to asingle common visual information interface 18, such as a low voltagedifferential signal (LVDS), and a single audio information interface 20.Display module 12 has a housing 22 with a cutaway portion 24 sized toaccept the housing 26 of external interface module 14. Externalinterface module housing 26 fits into cutaway portion 24 to couple todisplay module housing 22 as a contiguous unit, as is depicted by FIG.1B.

Display system 10 supports selected of plural external interfaces byselection of an external interface module 14 with the selected externalinterfaces. Build-to-order configuration of display systems 10 issupported by offering to purchasers plural different sets of externalinterfaces, such as various combinations of television interfaces, liketelevision tuner, composite, S-video, or component interfaces, andinformation handling system interfaces, like VGA or DVI interfaces.Different types of external interface modules 14 are built to supporteach available combination of external interfaces. When a customerpurchase order is received for a display system 10 that has selectedexternal interfaces, an external interface module 14 supporting theselected external interfaces is assembled to a display module 12 and the“built-to-order” display system 10 is shipped to the purchaser. Forinstance, if a purchaser wants only a television, display system 10 isconfigured with an external interface module 14 that has televisionexternal interface components selectable by the purchaser, such asvarious combinations of tuner components, composite video components,S-video components and/or component video components. If a purchaserwants only an information handling system display, display system 10 isconfigured with an external interface module 14 that has informationhandling system external interface components selectable by thepurchaser, such as various combinations of VGA and/or DVI components.Alternatively, a display system 10 may be selectably configured as botha television and an information handling system display with selectionof an external interface module having various combinations oftelevision and information handling system components. If the displaysystem fails, the purchaser is simply shipped a replacement externalinterface module 14 having a similar configuration that takes the placeof the existing external interface module.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a functional block diagram of one embodiment ofa display system 10 having a separate display module 12 and externalinterface module 14 is depicted. Display module 12 presents visualinformation with a display panel 26 that has plural pixels 28 organizedin rows and columns, and presents audio information with speakers 30.Speakers 30 may be integrated in the display module housing or may bedetachable such as with an extension wire connection. Display panel 26is a LCD panel illuminated with a backlight 32 powered by an inverter34, although in an alternative embodiment display panel 26 is a plasmapanel. A timing controller TCO 36 illuminates pixels 28 in rows andcolumns to present a visual image in accordance with visual informationprovided by visual information interface 18, such as visual informationin the LVDS format. A power supply 38 provides power to operate thecomponents of display module 12 under management of a control board 40and in response to user inputs through a front panel interface 42. Forinstance, command and control information captured by an IR receiver offront panel interface 42 from a remote control is provided tomicrocontroller 20 from control board 40. Thus, display module 12includes the components to support present visual information through asingle visual information interface 18 and to present audio informationthrough a single audio information interface 20 but lacks the“intelligence” to receive visual information in various television orinformation handling system formats.

External interface module 14 provides display module 12 with the“intelligence” to receive selected of plural types of audiovisualinformation based upon the configuration of the external interfacemodule assembled to the display module. In the embodiment depicted byFIG. 2, external device interfaces 16 supported by external interfacemodule 14 include television interfaces of tuner 44, composite video 46,S-video 48 and component video 50, as well as information handlingsystem interfaces of VGA 52, DVI 54 and individual audio inputs 56. Inalternative embodiments, external interface module 14 is selectablyconfigurable to support desired of the external device interfacesdepicted by FIG. 2 or other external device interfaces. Analog visualsignals, such as analog television signals from tuner 44, compositevideo 46 and S-video 48 are provided to a video decoder 58 and videode-interlacer 60 for conversion to visual information by scalar 62.Digital visual signals, such as from high definition television tuner44, component video 50, VGA 52 and DVI 54, are provide to scalar 62either directly or through an analog-digital converter 66 asappropriate. Scalar 62 generates a single visual information output,such as LVDS, for each of the types of external interface modules 14 toensure compatibility with display module 12. Audio signals are providedto an audio processor 64 and audio amp 68 to produce a single audiosignal output usable by speakers 30 for audio compatibility. Amicrocontroller 70 manages operation of the components of externalinterface module 14, such as delivery of power from power supply 38 andtranslation of user inputs from control board 40. By translatingexternal audiovisual information with selected components into a singlecommon video and single common audio signal, external interface module14 allows selective configuration of a display module for televisionand/or information handling system usage.

Although the present invention has been described in detail, it shouldbe understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can bemade hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined by the appended claims.

1. A system for presentation of audiovisual information, the systemcomprising: a display module housing having a cutaway portion; a displaypanel disposed in the display module housing and operable to presentvisual information as pixels organized in rows and columns; a timingcontroller disposed in the display module housing and interfaced withthe display panel, the timing controller operable to communicate visualinformation to the rows and columns; speakers associated with thedisplay module housing and operable to present audio information assounds; an external interface module housing sized to fit in the cutawayportion as an integral unit, the external interface module having asingle visual information interface positioned proximate the cutawayportion to interface with the timing controller and having a singleaudio information interface positioned proximate the cutaway portion tointerface with the speakers; and an external interface module disposedin the external interface module housing, the external interface modulehaving external visual interface components operable to receive externalvisual information and communicate the visual information to the singlevisual information interface and having external audio interfacecomponents operable to receive external audio information andcommunicate the audio information to the single audio informationinterface.
 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a power supplydisposed in the display module housing and operable to supply power tothe display panel, timing controller and speakers; and a power interfacedisposed in the display module housing at the cutaway portion operableto provide power from the power supply to the external interface module.3. The system of claim 1 wherein the external visual interfacecomponents comprise a television tuner.
 4. The system of claim 1 whereinthe external visual interface components comprise component videoprocessing components.
 5. The system claim 1 wherein the external visualinterface components comprise DVI component processing components. 6.The system of claim 1 wherein the single visual information interfacecomprises an LVDS interface.
 7. The system of claim 1 wherein theexternal visual interface components comprise one more componentsselected by a purchaser of the system from the group of television tunercomponents, composite video components, S-video components, andcomponent video components.
 8. The system of claim 7 wherein the visualinterface components further comprise one or more components selected bya purchaser of the system from the group of VGA components and DVIcomponents.
 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the display panel is a LCDpanel.
 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the display panel is a plasmadisplay.